EWRN - Chapter 42

Chapter 42: The Rite of Heaven (IV)

With the sound of ceremonial music, the entire imperial palace seemed to radiate with splendor.

Huo Jinyu returned to the palace with Yan Xi. The two parted ways, one heading to the Hall of Imperial Governance and the other to Jinxiang Palace. Huo Jinyu changed into a bright yellow dragon robe. As per Huo Jinyu's prior arrangements, Yan Xi changed into a bright yellow phoenix robe that the palace maids had prepared long ago. When Yan Xi was ready and emerged from Jinxiang Palace, Huo Jinyu was already waiting for her at the entrance.

Xuanyi Palace.

The ceremonial music came to a sudden halt. The female court musicians gathered their instruments and withdrew from the main hall in an orderly fashion.

The officials, who had been lively and boisterous just moments before, instantly grew solemn. That personage was about to arrive.

On the way, Huo Jinyu encountered Di An and Hua Ying from Yuzhe Palace. Seeing that they were headed in the same direction, they entered the main hall together from a side entrance. Huo Jinyu went to the seat of honor and sat down. The palace maids had reserved two seats on either side of her. Yan Xi sat to her right, and Di An to her left. Hua Ying, dressed in palace attire, stood behind Di An with her head bowed, appearing like any other palace maid and drawing no attention to herself.

They performed their salutations with perfect decorum and offered their greetings. Only after receiving Huo Jinyu's command did they take their seats. When the ministers lifted their heads and saw what Yan Xi was wearing, they were all stunned. A phoenix robe! Princess Yan was actually wearing a phoenix robe! It was common knowledge that since ancient times, only the Empress, the mother of the nation, was qualified to wear the phoenix robe! What did His Majesty mean by this? Could he be using this as an opportunity to declare to the world that the position of Empress was reserved for Princess Yan and no other? But Princess Yan had been in the palace for several months with no sign of pregnancy—not a trace of an imperial heir. Furthermore, she was merely a princess from a small kingdom, sent for a political marriage. How could she possibly be worthy of the phoenix robe!

A few hot-tempered old ministers were about to rise and remonstrate, but fortunately, their close confidants beside them were quick to pull them back down, shooting them warning glances. Only then did the old ministers remember what day it was. They suppressed their anger and sat down properly. After all, it was the solemn day of the Rite of Heaven; they had to grant His Majesty at least that much deference.

Huo Jinyu, seated on her high throne, took in the commotion below with perfect clarity. A corner of her mouth lifted in a cold, silent sneer before her gaze shifted to Huo Jinye, seated below her to the right. The Second Prince, Huo Jinye, looked somewhat unnatural, even a bit nervous. It was, after all, his first time personally orchestrating such a treacherous plot, and his inexperience showed. If his mother, Dowager Consort Xian, knew of his intentions, she would undoubtedly do everything in her power to stop him. After all, attempting to assassinate the emperor at a banquet one was personally responsible for was something only a fool would do.

And yet, Huo Jinye, in his self-perceived cleverness, had laid this trap riddled with flaws, all without his mother's knowledge.

Huo Jinye was already on edge, so when His Majesty turned to look at him, he flinched in alarm, hastily averting his gaze to avoid Huo Jinyu's eyes. But the moment he looked away, he felt it was the wrong move. Wouldn't people mistake it for a sign of a guilty conscience? So, he stiffly twisted his head back to meet Huo Jinyu's gaze, forcing a somewhat rigid smile.

Huo Jinyu, acting as if she had noticed nothing, gave him a cold, assessing glance before turning away.

At that moment, Xuanyi Palace was as quiet as the throne hall at the start of a court session. The ministers all sat ramrod straight, their expressions solemn as they waited.

In years past, this would be the time for His Majesty's address. The ministers waited in silence. The imperial speech usually lasted for about two hours, a true test of their endurance.

"Today is the Great Yuan Kingdom's annual Rite of Heaven. We trust Our beloved ministers have all released their wish boats and sky lanterns, so We need not waste any more words. Let tonight's Rite of Heaven banquet officially begin. We wish you all great joy in your feasting and merriment." With that, Huo Jinyu raised her cup, tilted her head back, and drained the wine in one go.

The ministers felt a wave of relief and quickly raised their own cups, draining them as well. The current emperor, it turned out, was a person of few words. There was no long-winded oration, no pointless rhetoric, none of the lengthy speeches of years past. The ministers all relaxed, seeing that this emperor had a refreshingly direct side. Many who had been tormented by the Rite of Heaven in the past felt a surge of gratitude.

In truth, Huo Jinyu was simply being lazy. She had no desire to waste her breath on such tedious matters and had thus skipped that part of the ceremony. Emperors of the past would always offer words of blessing for the Great Yuan Kingdom's development and prosperity. But now, Huo Jinyu only wished for the kingdom's demise. How could she possibly have the heart to wish it well? She wanted the entire world to feel the pain she had once endured.

With the first part of the evening hastily concluded, it was time for the ministers to offer their felicitations and present gifts. Huo Jinyu inwardly rubbed her hands in anticipation. The ministers all came from families with deep coffers, and their offerings were never ordinary. Especially at a grand banquet like the Rite of Heaven, the most lavish gift-giver would gain the most prestige and earn the emperor's favor.

In years past, Prime Minister Bai had always been the first to present a gift. This year, Prime Minister Bai had orchestrated his own downfall. His estate had been confiscated, and all his treasures had naturally found their way into Huo Jinyu's pockets. The position of Prime Minister remained vacant, as Huo Jinyu had not appointed a replacement. Thus, the gift presentation began with the ministers of the various boards.

"Your subject congratulates the Great Yuan Kingdom on its military might and national strength, which grows with each passing day, and wishes for the peace and prosperity of its people! Your subject has previously acquired a treasure from the Western Regions—a Golden Glazed Phoenix!" The Minister of Rites was the first to step forward, bowing deeply as he spoke. Two eunuchs entered, carrying an object draped in red cloth.

Eunuch Wang stepped forward and lifted the red cloth, revealing a phoenix statue half the height of a man. The body of the phoenix was completely transparent, its wings spread high. The tips of its wings and its tail feathers were crafted from pure gold and inlaid within the transparent glaze. The crest on its head was an alternating pattern of gold and silver, and its eyes were two specks of silver light—a finishing touch that made the entire statue seem breathtakingly alive, as if it were about to take flight.

Huo Jinyu's eyes brightened, and she had already decided where the phoenix statue would be placed. Yan Xi's eyes also lit up. What a beautiful and elegant glazed sculpture!

The Minister of Rites stood proudly to one side. He had gone to great lengths to acquire this piece and had presented it before he'd even had a chance to properly enjoy it himself. He had personally overseen its entire journey to the palace, taking meticulous care for fear of damaging the fragile glazed artwork.

Huo Jinyu nodded in satisfaction. Eunuch Wang ordered two eunuchs to carefully carry the phoenix statue away to be delivered to Huo Jinyu's Hall of the Slumbering Dragon.

Next, the other ministers presented their gifts, but they were all rather conventional and failed to capture Huo Jinyu's interest.

After them, several great generals from the border garrisons presented their gifts. Some offered reports of military merit, others rare birds and beasts, and one even presented a fine steed capable of traveling a thousand li. Huo Jinyu acknowledged each with a cold nod and had Eunuch Wang accept them.

Following them were the ministers of more modest means and rank. They presented items like zithers, chess sets, calligraphy, and paintings. The latter were most common, and though some were by famous masters, the palace already had an abundance of such works, so they seemed less valuable.

By the time all the civil and military officials had presented their gifts, two hours had passed. The female musicians began to play again, signaling the true start of the main feast. Everyone was hungry, and a palace banquet was an incomparable affair. The imperial kitchens produced countless delicacies, and the Rite of Heaven feast was the most luxurious of all. The ministers were filled with anticipation for the rare culinary delights.

Palace maids moved with graceful elegance, adding new, hot dishes to the tables.

In the center of the main hall, dancers took the floor. With graceful waists and twirling red sleeves, they moved with light, lotus-like steps. Their sleeves billowed like blossoming flowers as they began their performance.

The ministers feigned nonchalance, picking at the dishes before them and bringing the food to their mouths with slow, deliberate movements. They appeared dignified and orderly, but in truth, every one of them was savoring the rare delicacies.

Dressed in palace attire, Hua Ying served Di An as an ordinary maid would. Catching this from the corner of her eye, Huo Jinyu took the initiative to place some dishes she considered rather good onto the plate of Yan Xi, who sat to her right.

When Yan Xi saw a fair, slender hand using chopsticks to serve her, her heart stirred with a subtle warmth. It was these small, ordinary gestures that had caused her to lose her heart. Folk tales always said that the first to fall in love was the one who lost. If so, she thought, then she had already been utterly defeated. Yan Xi mocked herself in silence.

One troupe of dancers replaced another, and the female court musicians played a variety of instruments. The civil and military officials chatted and laughed, enjoying the fine food in a scene of perfect harmony.

Huo Jinyu frowned slightly, wondering at what point the Second Prince, Huo Jinye, planned to spring his trap. Her hand moved to the side, gripping the hilt of the sword she had instructed Eunuch Wang to hide by her chair earlier. She felt no panic at all. She had been an emperor for decades and had stared down death itself. What was this immature little scheme of the Second Prince's? At worst, she would suffer a mere flesh wound.

Yan Xi, however, had a sharp eye and noticed Huo Jinyu's movement. As someone who had also experienced the struggles of a royal court, she knew exactly what it meant for the emperor to attend a banquet armed. Tonight's feast, she feared, would not be a peaceful one. Yan Xi suppressed this thought, composed herself, and made no untoward movements.

The Second Prince watched the dais from the corner of his eye. Seeing that all was normal at the seat of honor and that nothing seemed amiss, he calmed himself slightly. He looked up at Young General Hou, who was seated opposite him. Young General Hou happened to look up at the same moment, and the two exchanged a meaningful glance. Noticing Huo Jinye's hesitation, Young General Hou gave him an encouraging look.

This year's Rite of Heaven banquet seemed different from those of the past. Even the dancers' costumes were all of the same hue. After watching for a while, the ministers grew weary of the performance and looked away. Because of this, they failed to notice that several of the dancers had been wearing the exact same patterned outfits the entire time, never changing with the troupes. Huo Jinye had considered the issue of timing; to ensure they didn't miss their chance, the assassins disguised as dancers had to be on stage for every performance. The assassins had now been dancing for two hours, and their legs were about to give out. If not for the handsome reward, they would have given up already. And still, their employer had not given them the signal to strike! They had been forced to wear makeup and learn to dance for ages just to pass as women!

Just as the dance performance was about to conclude, Huo Jinye narrowed his eyes, finally resolving to act. He picked up his wine cup, took a drink, and set it back down, tapping it slowly three times on the low table. No one around him noticed the Second Prince's actions, but the assassins who had been watching him intently saw it. It was the signal they had agreed upon.

As the dance concluded, the performers formed a circle. Suddenly, three dancers in the front row reached for their chests. A few of the ministers who were still watching the performance saw this, and a flicker of doubt crossed their minds. In the very next instant, the three dancers ripped away their costumes to reveal black martial arts attire underneath and charged toward the throne!

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